Manchester United threaten season ticket bans in anti-touting crackdown as innocent fans caught up

Manchester United have sent suspension emails to a wave of season ticket holders at Old Trafford, warning them their accounts could be permanently revoked as the club attempts to stamp out a widespread ticket-touting problem — but several supporters with decades of loyalty to the club insist they have done nothing wrong.

The emails, sent on Tuesday, informed affected fans that the club had “identified sustained activity” linked to their accounts. To contest the suspension, supporters were asked to provide a full list of every device used to log in, confirm whether those devices access other ticketing accounts, explain how their account is managed, and supply valid photographic identification.

Despite complying in full, a number of fans remain in limbo. One supporter has held a season ticket for 27 years, yet the club has confirmed the restrictions on their account will stay in place. Another follows United home and away and has routinely passed identification checks at away fixtures, but still faces losing their seat. A third has been told restrictions will remain based on the “balance of the available evidence”, yet believes the club has failed to present any concrete proof of wrongdoing.

Manchester Evening News, which spoke directly with several of the affected supporters, reports that all have strongly denied touting and have submitted thorough responses to the club. None have received a satisfactory resolution.

United appear to have adopted a blanket approach to the crackdown, meaning supporters with no connection to touting have been caught in the crossfire. The club was unable to confirm how specific accounts were flagged by their system. Some fans who received the initial email have since had their restrictions lifted, while others remain suspended.

A club source acknowledged that the approach may result in some innocent supporters being swept up in the process, but pointed to cases where fans who responded had their accounts restored. United also suggested that supporters who had not yet replied to the initial email could be indicating guilt — a position that has drawn sharp criticism from those who say they responded promptly and in good faith.

The situation has drawn broader frustration over what fans describe as unclear and heavy-handed communication from the club, with long-standing supporters now facing the prospect of losing their seats ahead of the new Premier League season.